Process for manufacturing cellulosic esters



Patented septa 15,1925,

' 7 PAUL Brannon, or LYONS, FRANCE, assrenoe 'ro r a s-commit on s'rmanvnmn ET savolvnnmr. n11 LYON, or L on's, raan'cn.

PROCESS FOR IVIANUFACTURING CELLULOSIC EST'EBfi.

No Drawing.

To all whom may concern.

The present invention Be it known that ll, PAUL BE1 THON,t citlzen of the French Republic, of Lyons, France, have invented a certain new or Tm- -proved Process for Manufacturing Cellu-.

losicEsters, of which the following is a specification. 1

has for its object the preparation-of cellulose esters from organic acids containing more than five atoms of carbon, in particular the higher fatty acids. 7

the acyclic organic acids containing more than five. atoms of carbon.

Theti esterification of the cellulose is effectedVby the direct action thereon ofthe acid chlorides of the aforesaid acids." The of substances such reaction arising from the mixture of the various components, which may be diluted in chloroform,tetrachloride of carbon, halo-' gcnous derivatives of acetylene, benzene, toluene, etc., if facilitated by the addition, as pyridine, quinoline or like organic bases. Reaction startsat normal temperature with a considerable discharge of heat and is completed by gradually raising the temperature.

According to the proportions of the CM? rides employed, monocsters, diesters. or triesters of cellulose are formed; but in all cases the hydrocellulose-is integrally transgeneral completely soluble inthe aforesaid diluents and particularly'inthe bGIlZBIllO. carbides. This property allows them to be separated from the monoesters which are formed. The diesters and triesters are, in

insoluble.

taking place with or Wllill presence or organic bases or qu inoline is known Application filed September 29, 19%. $eria1 No. 591,426,

The cellulose esters of the organic acids referred to, appear in the majority of cases, in the form of fibres, granules orscales which are amorphous, inodorous,-on'ly slightly inflammable and are soluble in a large number of solvents and in particular chloroform, the halogenous derivatives of acetylene, tetrachloride of carbon and benzenic carbides.

Their solutions are clear and are extremely viscous and furnish by evaporation,

even Without addition of plasticizing sub:

stances, colourless and perfectly translucent pellicles.

These properties allow them to be employed, either alone or mixed with other cellulose esters, in the manufacture of various plastic materials, such as size, varnish fabrics, leather substances, photagraphic and fcinematographic. films. The following example, given merely as illustration shows the process to be followed for the manufacture of a di-palmitate of cellulose.

100 grams of hydrocellulose are moistened with a mixture'of 100 grams of chloroform and-200' grams of pyridine; a mixture of 500 grams of palmityl chloride and 300 grams of chloroform is added by degrees; sthe whole is heated foran hour'in a boiling water bath, then for 2 hours in an autoclave heated to 100 C., while continually stirring the mass. The reaction being terminated, the mass is dissolved in an excess of chloroform and the cellulose ester is precipitated by adding alcohol; the product is washed, filtered, dried, etc.

The obtained di-palmitate of cellulose when dissolved in ben7en'e yields, on evaporation of the solvent, a plastic colourless and translucent pellicle.

Claim v A. process for manufacturing cellulose esters consisting in mixing hydrocellulose with an acid chloride of the acyclic or- I ganic acids containing more than five atoms of carbon adding an organic base, heating the wl'iolc, precipitating, the cellulose ester formed and Washing and drying the latter.

.In witness whereof I have signed this specification.

PAUL BERTHON. 

